Maggie in Politico on Boehner and DOMA

“We were extremely pleased with Speaker Boehner’s decision to intervene. That improved our prospects of prevailing,” said Maggie Gallagher, who chairs the National Organization for Marriage, which has become an active voice in opposing same-sex marriage laws since its creation in 2007. “He has shown a commitment to the law. … This is not about legal or political theatrics. It’s about the defense of marriage.”

Gallagher warned against the familiar media narrative of concluding that Boehner’s role is merely for show or that he is not committed to the case. “Everyone knows that there will be a PR hit in the mainstream media for standing up on these issues,” she said. “The story line is that the GOP will abandon social conservatives. That hasn’t happened with Boehner. … He has been magnificent.”

... With the boost from Boehner, conservatives contend that they are on a roll on the marriage issue. Gallagher said that recent legislative and election success in several typically liberal states should dispel the conventional wisdom that gay marriage is a bad issue for Republicans.